A 46-year-old woman known as "a miciona" or "the big female kitten" is among the sixty-five suspects netted by Italian police in pre-dawn raids targeting the Camorra or Neapolitan Mafia as reported by Nick Pisa for The Telegraph: "Raffaella D'Alterio allegedly took over the reins of the Pianese-D'Alterio clan after her husband Nicola Pianese was murdered by rivals six years."
The Camorra is more socially progressive than Italy's other Mafia groups, and women, gays and transgenders are accepted thoughout its criminal organization including in leadership roles.
For example, in 2009 authorities arrested the cross-dressing Ugo "Kitty" Gabriele, a reputed capo within the Scissionisti clan, for allegedly running a drug and prostitution racket as then reported by Nick Squires for The Telegraph: "Investigators said it was the first time they had arrested a transsexual mafia gangster. Despite his chunky physique and masculine appearance he insisted on being addressed as Kitty, they said." Italian mob watcher Luigi Romolo Carrino says "there is a lot more homosexual activity in the Mob than you think" as reported by Nick Pisa for The Sun.
The mob is a microcosm of the largerr society, and as culture evolves law enforcement should amend its notes to reflect that good fellas and wise guys now include gay fellas and wise gals.
